The present invention relates to a hypodermic device having multiple sockets or receptacles to permit the simultaneous extraction of blood into several tubes or containers.
It is conventional to use hypodermic devices for extracting blood for testing. In a conventional hypodermic syringe, the needle is inserted into a vein and a plunger is pulled or retracted to create a vacuum inside the syringe that causes blood to flow through the needle and into the body of the syringe. In another type of hypodermic device, a vacuum tube is pressed onto an end of the needle with the other end of the needle being inserted into the vein. The vacuum within the tube draws the blood through the needle and into the tube.
Known hypodermic devices, however, suffer shortcomings. More than one tube of blood is normally required for the multitude of tests being conducted today by physicians. If a conventional hypodermic syringe is used, this means that after one syringe is filled and removed, another syringe must be inserted into the vein. Multiple extractions result in more discomfort to the patient, added difficulty for the person extracting the blood, and the increased possibility of disease transmission. Similarly, when the other type of hypodermic device is used, the operator must steady the device while a filled vacuum tube is removed and then attach another vacuum tube to the hypodermic needle. Again, similar problems occur as with the first type of hypodermic device.
Thus, it is the principal object of the present invention to eliminate the deficiencies of the prior hypodermic devices by providing a mechanically simple, low cost, light weight, hypodermic device that has multiple sockets thereby permitting multiple simultaneous extractions of blood into a plurality of tubes.